Speaking before a lively crowd at the Embassy Suites in South Florida, DeSantis first spoke about national issues and his congressional accomplishments before diving into why he wanted to run for Florida governor.

“I’ve consistently stood for a culture of life, I’ve defended the Second Amendment and I have fought tooth and nail for our military and veterans, and I am darn proud of that,” DeSantis said.

“Since I got elected, I’ve been a force to try and change Washington, but I never let Washington change me.”

DeSantis said he supported defunding sanctuary cities and improving Florida’s schools — but most of all, DeSantis said he wanted to continue building upon the legacy of current Gov. Rick Scott, who swooped into Florida politics in 2010, ousting Tallahassee insiders in one of the biggest upset elections in Florida history.